Eating According to Seasons

Healthy and happy spring eating!

Nature was created with literally thousands of different foods in every category containing the most suitable nutrients that our bodies require. The world's healthiest foods, however, are those that are the richest sources of many essential nutrients needed for optimal health and vitality; therefore, these foods do the most to promote our well being. Not only are these foods the most nutrient-dense, they are familiar, affordable and provide great taste as well as exceptional nutrition. They are perfect in their natural state nothing more added and nothing taken away.

The key to maximizing the many nutritional benefits offered by our supermarket is to enjoy them as unprocessed as possible. Every season provides us with produce that is appropriate for consumption at that time. Spring brings with it crops of bitter variety of vegetables, while summer abounds with delicious sweet fruits.

Choosing to rely on nature's bounty for the majority of our meals, will automatically help us to:

Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, lean meats and fish, olive and flaxseed oils as the main components of our diet. Without effort, we will be consuming a rich variety of essential nutrients that will promote optimal health and energy.

Use monounsaturated fats like pure extra virgin olive oil that does not increase the risk for cardiovascular disease, rather than hydrogenated fats also called trans-fatty acids or trans-fats.

Favor only lean meats that afford us more protein with less saturated fat.

Avoid white sugar, "white" wheat, white pasta and white refined rice. By avoiding these highly refined foods, which have had the majority of their key nutrients removed and remain good sources only of simple sugars and refined carbohydrates, we will lower our risk of high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, obesity, Type II diabetes and cancer.

As we usher in spring, we would benefit from the new growth of this season's fresh produce such as tender, leafy vegetables, mixed in fresh salads and raw grated vegetables. Be creative and experiment with Swiss chard, dandelion greens, spinach, Romaine lettuce, fresh parsley, and basil, each of these vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals that can protect our bodies from serious illnesses, such as stomach ailments and cancer to name just a few.

In summer, it is recommended that we consume lighter meals and cooling foods. The produce department of most supermarket will be chock full of berries like strawberries, blueberries and other fruits such as watermelons, cantaloupes, apples, pears, plum, nectarines and peaches that will delight young and old. Vegetables are abundantly available such as summer squash, broccoli, cauliflower, and corn; as well as cooling spices and seasonings like peppermint and cilantro.

The Rambam advocated eating fruits and vegetables that were in season, ripened naturally, and locally grown, as he avers that unripe produce are like daggers to the body.

Let your creative side soar with a visit to your local supermarket where you can choose from the vast array of green leafy choices and other produce available by the design from our infinitely kind Creator.

Recipe corner

Oriental Slaw

Delightful served as an entrée, as a side dish, or in a whole wheat pita pocket.

1 small head of Napa (also known as Chinese cabbage)
1 small purple cabbage, washed and thoroughly checked
1 large carrot, shredded
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup dressing (homemade mayonnaise, tahini, Italian, or dill) Cut Napa lettuce into ½ inch strips. Cut the cabbage into thin strips. Combine the Napa, cabbage, carrot and onion. Add the dressing. Toss gently until all the vegetables are well coated.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Serves 6- people

Guacamole Dip (Avocado based)

You can embellish your Yom Tov table by serving this dip in a scooped out red pepper, if you are feeding a larger crowd you can scoop out and stuff a small red cabbage for an original and beautiful center piece.

Prepare noodles according to package directions. Once noodles are cooked, mix with the vegetables.

Preparation: 30 minutes
Serves 8

Asparagus soup

Asparagus is one of the first vegetables to come out of the ground in spring, that has few calories but very nutritious. Asparagus contain carotene, vitamin B, C, E. This vegetable has demonstrated to be a great cleanser, which protects from cardiovascular diseases, reduces cholesterol and helps protect against cancer. It can be eaten raw in salads but also makes a delectably light soup.

This is a very easy soup to make that does not require much advance preparation, so it is a good choice, if you are running late!

Sauté onions and garlic in 1 Tbs oil until translucent, add the asparagus and zucchini and sauté for 5 minutes. Add water, cook for 20 minutes, season to taste with salt and garlic. For a thicker soup, add the two Tbs of oatmeal, stir for a few minutes and allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with home made croutons.

Easy, light and delicious! Enjoy!

Preparation: 30 minutes
Serves 8

Brownies

This cake is impressively tasty considering that it is eggless as it is moist and fluffy.

Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients. Mix well, then spread into oiled 8x8 pan. Bake in oven at 375 for about 25 minutes. Do not over bake. Test brownies with a knife. It should come out clean.

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About the Author

Gitta Bixenspanner is a certified nutritionist who lives in Montreal with her husband. She teaches high school, seminary and give inspiring adult education classes in Jewish topics. As a certified nutritionist she gives cooking seminars, the main purpose being to teach people to adopt healthier lifestyles in keeping with the mitzvah of taking care of our bodies.

Visitor Comments: 11

(11)
Adina H.,
June 17, 2009 2:58 AM

Rambam Says

It is very good that Aish has articles devoted to healthy dietary habits, as it is extremely important to keep your body in shape. As Rambam says in The Eight Chapters: "Man acts like a human being only when he eats wholesome food, even avoiding enjoyable dishes and eating uappealing fare if his health demands it. Such a person is guided by reason and thus distinguishes himself from other creatures......The body must be in perfect condition so that your soul will not be hindered in its pursuit of moral and intellectual virtues."--The Eight Chapters, Maimonide's Introduction to the Ethics of the Fathers (Chapter Five under 'A Healthy Soul in a Healthy Body')

(10)
Gitta,
May 21, 2009 3:30 PM

Response

I am delighted with your interest in this column, and the respnse of readers to one another.
Just a few comments on your queries.
Nutrition has become a very confusing topic, one day research says one thing and a while later they say something else if not the opposite.
According to the latest data canola oil is the best oil to cook with since olive oil does heat up faster and can cause free radicals if overheated. Yes for salads and raw dining it is great, along with flaxseed oil, but in cooking it is controversial.
As far as coconut oil-it is considered a saturated fat and unless you are diabetic in which case you should be eating more fats to compensate for less carbs, it should be consumed in limited amounts.
As far as eating with the seasons and unripe produce, nature has it's way of showing us what to eat when. In the spring the vegetables coming out now in the fields are mostly bitter, arugula, dandelions leaves, endives, radiccio,all of which are extremely beneficial to cleanse the liver, which has been overtaxed during the winter months processing heavier products.
asparagus are indeed difficult to check, so I cut off the tops and bottoms and juiced them with other vegetables for my morning vegetable cocktail.
Asparagus now are juicy, tender and easy to cut, while in the fall they are stringy, and not as tender and palatable. Red delicious apples are in season in the fall and right now they taste like "potatoes" very dry and unapetizing. Personally, nature is scientific enough. If you read the whole article you will notice what the Rambam says about eating unripe fruits."They are daggers to the body" and thus they could be causing more harm than good.
Wishing you all a wonderful Yom Tov

(9)
Batsheva,
May 21, 2009 7:14 AM

No such thing as seasonal fruit anymore

I agree that it is better to eat local produce, and that means seasonally. But in today's global economy, we can enjoy plums, berries and melons year-round as they are shipped/flown in from warmer climes. And don't discount fresh-frozen fruits and vegetables, when fresh isn't available. I keep mine in the freezer for when I haven't had time to make it to the green grocer.

(8)
nyj,
May 19, 2009 10:05 PM

asparagus are usually infested

I just went to a shiur by the OU about insect infestation in foods. They said that asparagus usually has insects under the triangular leaves. The best way to use asparagus is to peel the entire outer layer off.

(7)
Anon,
May 19, 2009 12:33 PM

oils

i just did a bit of research and confirmed what I always knew - after olive oil, canola is the healthiest. (the places I looked also had coconut as the worst)

(6)
Michelle,
May 18, 2009 3:28 PM

You can skip the mayonnaise

Great recipes, thanks. But guacamole doesn't need mayonnaise, and you can save tons of calories by omitting it. The guac will be thicker but more authentic.

(5)
Elisheva,
May 18, 2009 2:09 PM

canola oil?

Why is it a disaster? My nutritionist recommends that as the best high-heat oil (since olive oil, although healthier, smokes easily and becomes toxic at high heat).
Also, as far as I understand, asparagus is very difficult to check for bugs.

(4)
Orah,
May 18, 2009 10:37 AM

Unscientific article

The recipes look delicous but I challege the scientific validity of the article. Why is white sugar considered worse than brown sugar? Can you provide ANY reliable scientific source for this claim? And why shouldn't we eat produce when it's not in season? Why not? The vitamins won't be absorbed? Have any controlled studies be done on the subject?

(3)
Anonymous,
May 18, 2009 9:44 AM

Is Canola oil really a no-no?

Shira - I was always under the impression that coconut oil is the no-no and canola was a heart healthy choice. Anyone out there have any info?

(2)
Shira,
May 18, 2009 4:00 AM

Canola oil is a no-no!

Thank you for your delicious recipes. By making a few substitutions of my own they mostly work for me. But please do your homework and realize what a disaster canola oil is and recommend coconut or olive oil instead. Thanks.

(1)
Rochel Faust,
May 17, 2009 7:14 PM

Gitta's recipes are good for the body and the soul

As a long-time fan of Gitta and her work, I enjoy her approach to "clean" foods- she doesn't give mussar, she inspires and educates in her own unique way. Her recipes are always enjoyed by my husband, a former meat and potatoes man!

I just got married and have an important question: Can we eat rice on Passover? My wife grew up eating it, and I did not. Is this just a matter of family tradition?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The Torah instructs a Jew not to eat (or even possess) chametz all seven days of Passover (Exodus 13:3). "Chametz" is defined as any of the five grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye) that came into contact with water for more than 18 minutes. Chametz is a serious Torah prohibition, and for that reason we take extra protective measures on Passover to prevent any mistakes.

Hence the category of food called "kitniyot" (sometimes referred to generically as "legumes"). This includes rice, corn, soy beans, string beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, mustard, sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Even though kitniyot cannot technically become chametz, Ashkenazi Jews do not eat them on Passover. Why?

Products of kitniyot often appear like chametz products. For example, it can be hard to distinguish between rice flour (kitniyot) and wheat flour (chametz). Also, chametz grains may become inadvertently mixed together with kitniyot. Therefore, to prevent confusion, all kitniyot were prohibited.

In Jewish law, there is one important distinction between chametz and kitniyot. During Passover, it is forbidden to even have chametz in one's possession (hence the custom of "selling chametz"). Whereas it is permitted to own kitniyot during Passover and even to use it - not for eating - but for things like baby powder which contains cornstarch. Similarly, someone who is sick is allowed to take medicine containing kitniyot.

What about derivatives of kitniyot - e.g. corn oil, peanut oil, etc? This is a difference of opinion. Many will use kitniyot-based oils on Passover, while others are strict and only use olive or walnut oil.

Finally, there is one product called "quinoa" (pronounced "ken-wah" or "kin-o-ah") that is permitted on Passover even for Ashkenazim. Although it resembles a grain, it is technically a grass, and was never included in the prohibition against kitniyot. It is prepared like rice and has a very high protein content. (It's excellent in "cholent" stew!) In the United States and elsewhere, mainstream kosher supervision agencies certify it "Kosher for Passover" -- look for the label.

Interestingly, the Sefardi Jewish community does not have a prohibition against kitniyot. This creates the strange situation, for example, where one family could be eating rice on Passover - when their neighbors will not. So am I going to guess here that you are Ashkenazi and your wife is Sefardi. Am I right?

Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Moses ben Nachman (1194-1270), known as Nachmanides, and by the acronym of his name, Ramban. Born in Spain, he was a physician by trade, but was best-known for authoring brilliant commentaries on the Bible, Talmud, and philosophy. In 1263, King James of Spain authorized a disputation (religious debate) between Nachmanides and a Jewish convert to Christianity, Pablo Christiani. Nachmanides reluctantly agreed to take part, only after being assured by the king that he would have full freedom of expression. Nachmanides won the debate, which earned the king's respect and a prize of 300 gold coins. But this incensed the Church: Nachmanides was charged with blasphemy and he was forced to flee Spain. So at age 72, Nachmanides moved to Jerusalem. He was struck by the desolation in the Holy City -- there were so few Jews that he could not even find a minyan to pray. Nachmanides immediately set about rebuilding the Jewish community. The Ramban Synagogue stands today in Jerusalem's Old City, a living testimony to his efforts.

It's easy to be intimidated by mean people. See through their mask. Underneath is an insecure and unhappy person. They are alienated from others because they are alienated from themselves.

Have compassion for them. Not pity, not condemning, not fear, but compassion. Feel for their suffering. Identify with their core humanity. You might be able to influence them for the good. You might not. Either way your compassion frees you from their destructiveness. And if you would like to help them change, compassion gives you a chance to succeed.

It is the nature of a person to be influenced by his fellows and comrades (Rambam, Hil. De'os 6:1).

We can never escape the influence of our environment. Our life-style impacts upon us and, as if by osmosis, penetrates our skin and becomes part of us.

Our environment today is thoroughly computerized. Computer intelligence is no longer a science-fiction fantasy, but an everyday occurrence. Some computers can even carry out complete interviews. The computer asks questions, receives answers, interprets these answers, and uses its newly acquired information to ask new questions.

Still, while computers may be able to think, they cannot feel. The uniqueness of human beings is therefore no longer in their intellect, but in their emotions.

We must be extremely careful not to allow ourselves to become human computers that are devoid of feelings. Our culture is in danger of losing this essential aspect of humanity, remaining only with intellect. Because we communicate so much with unfeeling computers, we are in danger of becoming disconnected from our own feelings and oblivious to the feelings of others.

As we check in at our jobs, and the computer on our desk greets us with, "Good morning, Mr. Smith. Today is Wednesday, and here is the agenda for today," let us remember that this machine may indeed be brilliant, but it cannot laugh or cry. It cannot be happy if we succeed, or sad if we fail.

Today I shall...

try to remain a human being in every way - by keeping in touch with my own feelings and being sensitive to the feelings of others.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...